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Celebrate your success at commencement June 19

06/17/2009 Edmonds Community College will hold its 42nd annual commencement ceremony 7:30 p.m.,
Friday, June 19 at Edmonds Stadium, 7600 212 St. SW, Edmonds. In 2008-09, students
at the college earned 1,819 degrees and certificates. The graduates range in age from
66 to 14.

The student commencement speakers are Dulcie Chase, 43, of Lynnwood and Paul Morrison,
43, of Edmonds. Chase has four young adult sons and a daughter age 7. Morrison has
two sons ages 18, 11, and a daughter, 10. Both will speak about the importance of
pursuing education and lifelong learning to inspire and create opportunity for future
generations.

Chase has earned her Associate of Arts degree. She serves on the Edmonds CC Associated
Students Executive Board as the Executive Officer for Community Relations. During
her service on the board, the Associated Students have built a new student center
on campus.

Chase would like to go on to earn her bachelor’s degree. Her first stop after Edmonds
Community College, however, will be the hospital. Chase has primary biliary cirrhosis
and is in need of a liver transplant. She deferred being put on a waiting list for
a transplant so that she could be sure to complete her college degree.

“No matter what happened to me, I knew the best lasting legacy I could give my children
was an example. Education is important,” she said. “I wanted them to see that if you
set your mind to it, you can accomplish anything, regardless of how impossible it
seems.”

Morrison has earned his two-year Associate of Technical Arts in Accounting degree.
He formerly trained and worked in watch repair and came to the college to update his
skills and train for an in-demand career.

“I wanted my career to evolve. It’s important to keep acquiring knowledge,” he said.
“Now all of my skills are updated, not outdated.”

Morrison plans to seek work as a corporate accountant. He will also put his accounting
skills to work immediately in his wife's jewelry appraisal company: christineappraisal.com.
He also intends to earn a project management certificate at Edmonds Community College.
His oldest son, Jordan, also attended Edmonds CC as a Running Start student. He graduates
from Kamiak High School this year.

Also, among this year’s graduates are brother and sister Sara and Brandon Kizer, of
Lynnwood. They both received TRIAD Advanced Manufacturing grants to help pay for their
tuition and have earned Associate of Applied Science-T degrees in Materials Science
Technology. In the materials science program, they gained hands-on in experience with
composite materials, including projects to design and build prosthetic legs and a
windmill — the college's first foray into renewable energy. Brandon, 19, plays baseball
for the Tritons. He will go on to play baseball at Seattle University while studying
engineering. Sara, 21, will seek work in the aerospace industry before pursuing her
bachelor’s degree.

Sara said her best college experience was, “Getting good grades and watching my brother
play baseball.”

The youngest graduate this year is Kayla Heard, 14, of Union, Wash. Kayla, homeschooled
by her mother, Marlyn, completed high school at age 10. She took online classes to
earn her Associate of Arts degree. She is already enrolled and taking online classes
at Washington State University with plans to pursue law school.

Highlights of the 2008-09 school year for the college include:

• Training more chefs and culinary artists in a newly remodeled cafeteria, kitchen,
and fine-dining restaurant;

• Building a new residence hall for students, Rainier Place opens in fall 2009;